Ficus salicaria defoliation

I was wondering if someone could tell me what differences, if any, there are between cutting the ficus leaves in half versus total defoliation. I have heard proponents for doing it both ways, yet I have never heard an explanation describing what effects doing one or the other will cause. My gut reaction is the cutting the leaves in half is safer but would result in less fine branching than a total defoliation.

I only have 2 willow-leaf figs, but I always defoliate totally. If the trees are healthy, I can't see that it would matter, and cutting the leaves in half certainly would be unattractive for far longer.

I have no idea why you would cut rather than pull the leaves or on a couple of my trees I recently cut enough branches off that I removed 99% of the leaves.

When I completely defoliate a well structured Salicaria, I might get dieback on the finer branches. This may especially happen when the tree is left in full sun. Some of the finer branches just dry out.
Same goes for Chinese banyon , Buttonwood and Elms in my backyard. Complete defoliation also slows down the growth on my ficus, as a side effect. However, my trees- as mentioned in another thread- need good airation due to high humidity in S FL and/or because they are inside the poolcage. I regularly cut the leaves to improve the airflow and to let the sun into the interior branching without stressing them and slow down the growth as it would happen with total defoliation. Even with total defoliation it is always a good idea to leave the apical leaves on. You can always trim them off later.

And yes, it just looks cool and fits the profile..

Let's see, why do we totally defoliate in some cases? The only reasons I completely defoliate a ficus is for show preparation and/or in a demo (faster) to better see the inside of the tree. Cutting the leaves in half or thirds is a safer growing technique, not a styling technique.

Best,
Dorothy

Very well put Dorothy.
John

dorothy7774 wrote:When I completely defoliate a well structured Salicaria, I might get dieback on the finer branches. This may especially happen when the tree is left in full sun. Some of the finer branches just dry out.
Same goes for Chinese banyon , Buttonwood and Elms in my backyard. Complete defoliation also slows down the growth on my ficus, as a side effect. However, my trees- as mentioned in another thread- need good airation due to high humidity in S FL and/or because they are inside the poolcage. I regularly cut the leaves to improve the airflow and to let the sun into the interior branching without stressing them and slow down the growth as it would happen with total defoliation. Even with total defoliation it is always a good idea to leave the apical leaves on. You can always trim them off later.

And yes, it just looks cool and fits the profile..

Let's see, why do we totally defoliate in some cases? The only reasons I completely defoliate a ficus is for show preparation and/or in a demo (faster) to better see the inside of the tree. Cutting the leaves in half or thirds is a safer growing technique, not a styling technique.

Best,
Dorothy

Well said. I might employ that tactic from now on instead of a complete defoliation.

Hello all!
This is a very old thread but I am looking for some help on f. salicaria defoliation so I thought I'd try and ask here....
I have torn by hand the leaves of my f. salicaria in half for reason of back budding.
It is about three weeks now and no sign of back budding yet.
I might have done something wrong?
Any reasoning/suggestions, please?
Thank you!

Alexandra

You must cut the growing tip to get back budding.

Neli, Ficus salicaria will back-bud profusely when leaf cut or leaf torn in spring. Later in the year Salicaria will react with better results when letting branches/ branchlets growing out and then pruning them back hard.

Best,
Dorothy

I have one mame willow leaf fig that I have been annoying for four years. With repeated pinching & pruning the leaves are tiny and there is ample ramification. I wouldn't dream of defoliating it.
Iris

Thank you very very much for your response everybody!

My f. salicaria is a present from the above Billy Rhodes, this kind gentleman and fellow bonsaist.
This ficus variety is not imported in Greece like a lot of other varieties and I had been searching a way to acquire such a tree.
Billy generously sent to me a small tree and two root cuttings. The tree is doing fine and I keep it inside under lights during the winter. The root cuttings did not sprout.
Thank you once again Billy!

dorothy7774 wrote:Neli, Ficus salicaria will back-bud profusely when leaf cut or leaf torn in spring. Later in the year Salicaria will react with better results when letting branches/ branchlets growing out and then pruning them back hard... ...

I would like to ask a new question resultant from the above...
All the branches of my ficus have green only at their tips. If I prune them back and leave say just one pair of leaves, will this have an unfavorable effect on the tree's health?
Thank you in advance and thanks to original poster "oboeologist" for his/her... hospitality in his thread